Stanford’s Coby Fleener chosen by Colts

(04-27) 21:06 PDT — Andrew Luck and Coby Fleener will be connecting in the NFL after teaming up for three years at Stanford.

Fleener wasn’t taken in the first round as expected, but he received a wonderful consolation prize. The Colts made him the second pick of the second round Friday, reuniting him with his pal and the quarterback who was the top overall pick in the draft.

“I knew it was a possibility, but you never really know,” Fleener told the Colts’ website. “I sat there (Thursday) thinking there were some teams that could have picked me and I wasn’t sure. Today when the Colts came up, I still wasn’t sure until I got the call on my phone that had an Indiana area code. I had a big smile on my face at that point.”

Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin, also expected by many to be a first-rounder, was taken by Miami on the 10th pick of the round – the 42nd overall.

Three Cal players were taken Friday. In the second round, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz went to the Browns with the 37th overall pick, and Philadelphia chose Bears linebacker Mychal Kendricks on the 46th overall pick. Punter Bryan Anger was picked by Jacksonville in the third round, the highest draft position for a punter since Todd Sauerbrun was picked in the second round (56th overall) by Chicago in 1995.

Fleener caught 96 passes from Luck for 18 touchdowns – a record for a Stanford tight end – and 1,543 total yards in his Stanford career.

His ascent to the NFL was fitting in a sense because he was named after a pro player. While she was pregnant, his mother was struck by the name “Jacoby” on the jersey of an NFL player during a 1988 game on TV. Joe Jacoby was one of the “Hogs,” the Redskins’ famous offensive line of the 1980s and early ’90s. Young Fleener quickly drew the nickname Coby.

Along with guard David DeCastro, a first-round pick by the Steelers, Martin anchored the Cardinal offensive line and helped the team amass three of the top four single-season rushing totals in school history. The line gave up just 24 sacks in three years.

Martin’s selection was announced by former Dolphins center Dwight Stephenson, a Hall of Famer. “It’s an amazing city, an amazing fan base, and there’s an amazing history behind the team, and I just can’t wait to get down there and work,” Martin told the team’s website.

Schwartz played mostly left tackle for Cal, although he switched to the right side on occasion. That’s where he’ll play in Cleveland, with five-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas on the left side.

“I’ve played 15 or so games at right tackle and played there in the Senior Bowl,” Schwartz said. “I think I’m ready for it. I’ve done it recently. It’s something I’ve been working on.”

Another familiar face on the Browns’ line is center Alex Mack, Schwartz’s teammate during his first two years at Cal. Schwartz said Mack is already giving him restaurant recommendations in Cleveland.

“It’s a really cool thing to be able to play with him again,” he said.

They and former Stanford fullback Owen Marecic will be blocking for former Alabama running back Trent Richardson, the third overall pick.

Kendricks played outside backer in 2010 but moved inside in 2011 and became Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. With the Eagles, he will be back on the outside. His ability to drop into coverage, along with an outstanding performance at the NFL combine, helped elevate him into the second round.

Only eight punters have been picked higher than Anger in the history of the draft. The Jaguars’ incumbent punter, Nick Harris, another ex-Cal player, had one of the lowest gross averages (42.7) and net averages (37.9) in the league last season. Harris and Anger are pals and sometimes workout partners.

Although teams don’t draft punters that high without expecting to keep them, Anger said, “In any situation, you have to compete. I’m looking forward to working hard and going in and taking over the spot.”